


PHOENIX KING

by barrisscoffee



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bending (Avatar), Bisexual Character, Bolin & Asami Sato Friendship, Bolin & Korra Friendship, Canon Lesbian Relationship, Childhood Trauma, F/F, F/M, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, Interrogation, Korra & Mako Friendship, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Character of Color, Lesbian Character, M/M, Mako & Asami Sato Friendship, Minor Character Death, Minor Injuries, Minor Korra/Asami Sato, Minor Violence, Native American Character(s), Non Benders (Avatar), Nonbinary Character, Not Canon Compliant, Original Character(s), Other, POV Original Character, Past Character Death, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pride, Psychological Trauma, Rebellion, Republic City, Revolution, Trans Character, Trauma, Two-Spirit, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:27:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24563830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/barrisscoffee/pseuds/barrisscoffee
Summary: Five years ago, Avatar Korra faced Equalist terrorist, Amon. She lost.After her shameful defeat, Korra and those closest to her vanished without a trace, retreating into hiding to evade Amon's highly-skilled mercenaries. With the only hope against Amon gone, the Equalists spread across the globe like wildfire. Within a few months, all major governments and establishments were dismantled, replaced by a dictatorial Equalist regime.Hopeless, convinced the world is lost, Korra discovers something - orsomeone- that could change the doomed fate of the world.
Relationships: Bolin (Avatar)/Original Character(s), Korra (Avatar)/Original Character(s), Korra/Asami Sato, Mako (Avatar)/Original Character(s)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 16





	1. Welcome to the Union, Citizen.

**Author's Note:**

> _The first few chapters will focus pretty heavily on already existing characters from the Legend of Korra universe. Once original characters are introduced, though, the story will be more centered around them. I know some people don't like works centered around original characters, and since this one starts very focused on canon character perspectives, it may come off as deceiving, lol._
> 
> _Also, in this AU setting, the Avatar world is futuristic compared to ours. While the timeline is the same, the technological advancements made leading up to Korra's era were far more complex and advanced than is canon. And because Amon defeated Korra, canon will be based off Book One canon. Information from books two, three and four is not relevant and not recognized, since it wouldn't make much sense if it were._

If you are reading this, it means you have just registered as a legal citizen of the Equalist Union. First, congratulations. You are about to embark on your new life, filled with opportunity and liberty from the threat of inequality.

Before you can be released by the authorities, I am legally required to remind you of several rules that are integral to the safety and function of the Union. If, at this time, you have finished one of the seminars we hold for new citizens, then you should already be familiar with these laws. If not, then you will be reminded of them a few more times over the next few hours. We do this to ensure proper understanding, because if you are found in violation of these laws, you will be immediately apprehended, imprisoned, and stripped of your citizenship. Multiple offenders will be euthanized in a private facility.

**_The following are strictly prohibited by Equalist Union law:_ **

I. Any affiliation with benders, bender-sympathizing groups, or probending teams.

II. Expressing anti-Union views.

III. Non-compliance with Union curfews.

IV. Refusal to participate in civil service.

V. Procreation involving former benders.

VI. Forgery of any official Union documents.

VII. Treasonous behaviors or actions.

VIII. Removing former bender tags.

IX. Failure to report any witnessed or suspected violations.

If you are a non-bender, an escort will be with you shortly to walk you through the rest of the registration process, which should take no more than a few hours. After you are finished, a Union car will take you to your new residence. If you are in a recently captured region, you will be allowed to return to your old home. If that option is not available, you will be relocated based on genealogy. The weaker you genetic connection to bending, the higher your societal status.

If you are a bender, the process will take approximately twenty-four hours. Soon, someone will arrive to deliver you to the proper facility where a professional will cure you of your imbalance. Once you have been cured, you will finish the registration process from the facility. You will also be provided a bed and food until your new residence is ready. Unfortunately, it is likely that your former residence will not be available to you. All former benders are given their own communities, which are scattered and isolated, to protect our society from civil unrest. 

I wish you the best of luck in your new life.

_Amon, President of the Equalist Union_


	2. Ember Island

"What the hell does half of this even _mean_?" Bolin scratched his head, setting the pamphlet down on the table. "No procreation with benders? So, what, only non-benders can. . . you know. . ."

Mako leaned back against the kitchen counter, arms folded across his chest. "It just means any benders - well, former benders - can't have children. Not with each other, not with non-benders. I imagine it's just another method to ensure benders are wiped out entirely."

"I never thought about it like that. Former benders being able to have bender kids, I mean. Makes sense. Amon can't bloodbend our genetics away," the younger brother mused. "Asami got through the whole process all right, though?"

Mako nodded. "Yeah, she didn't have any issues. At least as far as I know. She should be fine as soon as she gets to her father. But she won't be able to contact us for a few days; not until she gets to our guy in one of the bender neighborhoods."

"That just sounds a nice way of saying _slums_. You know they're not putting them somewhere nice."

They both turned their heads toward the newcomer's voice. Korra was standing slumped against the doorway. Her eyes looked sunken, her cheeks hollow. She had gained her weight back just a few months ago, but it seemed she had already shed it all again. Her collarbones were a little more pronounced, her legs noticeably slimmer. Now, with Asami gone for an indefinite amount of time as she hid in enemy territory, Mako was especially concerned for Korra. 

"What? Am I wrong?" she snapped when they had stared in silence a moment too long.

"No, no you're right," Mako assured her. He took a step in her direction, but she only slipped back down the hallway and into her room. They both flinched when the door slammed. 

Bolin got up from the small sofa and pat his brother on the back. "She'll start making progress again. Recovery isn't all uphill, you know."

+

Mako sat lazily in the cool sand, watching bemusedly as a lumbering Bolin actually managed to keep up with a too-energetic Jinora. A few days had passed since he took Asami to the Union border checkpoint to register. No one had seen Korra since, but based on kitchen evidence, Mako knew she had at least been out of her room to get food.

Growing bored of watching kids play, he clambered to his feet, brushing off the sticking grains of pale sand, and started walking along the shore. It was habit for Mako to constantly keep his eyes on the ocean horizon - watching for the silhouette of an Equalist fleet to appear, as it inevitably would one of these days - but today, he focused his attention to the mixture of traditional and modern Fire Nation homes along the cliffs and beaches around this side of the island. 

Ember Island hadn't been their first hiding spot, and it would unlikely be their last. The Equalist Union had come here quite early on in their campaign, during peak tourist season. Its isolated nature made it easy to round up the prominent members of Fire Nation society vacationing here. Not long after that, Firelord Izumi and the rest of the royal family were captured in their own palace and the Fire Nation government collapsed. It didn't take long for same fate to befall the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes. During all of that time, the Equalists never returned to Ember Island, making them feel it would be a safe place for at least a little while longer. But it was only a matter of time before they returned in search of the Avatar. 

Farther up on the hill, appearing golden in the light of the setting sun, Mako spotted a manor-like home. It was larger and even more isolated than any of the others, which were packed in tightly along the shore and cliff side. He wondered if it was the infamous beach house that the Firelord's family once visited, back in the time of the Hundred Year War. Just as he began to make his way up the hill, he heard someone calling out his name. He turned to see Bolin running barefoot toward him. 

" _Mako! Mako, you have to come see this!_ "

Mako furrowed his brows and started to make his way toward his brother. When they met in the middle, Bolin was panting, out of breath. Mako grabbed his shoulder. "What the hell is going on?"

"Just gimme a minute," he heaved, exhaling dramatically. It took a few more seconds for his breathing to even out. Finally, Bolin said, "Someone sunk a Union fleet."

"Someone _what?_ "

"I haven't read the whole thing yet. Here," Bolin handed Mako the folder that had been in his hands, which the latter hadn't noticed initially. "Read through this. It's got all the accounts of the event from every surviving crew member."

Mako flipped through the folder, then weighed it in his hands. "I'm surprised this is on paper."

"According to Asami, any official Union business is done the old-fashioned way. They don't trust anything digital. They're scared of something - or someone - surveilling them, but I can't imagine them being that paranoid over _us_. Are we still considered that much of a threat after all these years?"

"They're not afraid of us, idiot." Mako smacked Bolin's arm with the folder. "They're probably worried about whoever did _this_."

+

Back in their small seaside home, Mako flipped through the reports, scanning them over and over. To Bolin, it looked as if his brother were in a frenzy. "Mako, what is it?"

"Whoever did this is fucking _incredible_. They punctured the hulls of each ship without anyone even seeing them! Everything about this was carefully planned, just based on the timing alone. When the crew finally noticed, it was already almost completely dark outside, _and_ there was no moonlight to rely on, either. They waited to attack until a majority of the crew was preoccupied with the flooding and repairs, and even had the benefit of complete darkness out on the water.

"And whoever they are, they must have some powerful metal benders, Bolin. Look at the wreckage they managed to salvage."

Bolin peered over Mako's shoulder. His jaw dropped with awe. He practically shoved Mako out of his own chair to make room for himself. He balanced on the edge of the seat and Mako grumbled something that was probably meant to be an insult, but Bolin wasn't paying any attention to his grumpy brother.

Not a lot had been salvaged - and, according to the dates on the photos, the attack happened a little over a week ago - but what was left could hardly be considered scrap metal. Gaping gashes split either sides of the hulls that remained, enough to sink a ship in mere minutes. Smaller punctures were visible on some of the ships recovered, which Bolin assumed to be where they initially damaged the fleet before their much more vicious attack. Mako was right; carnage like this had to be the work of skilled metal benders. Metal benders that could teach _him_ , Bolin realized. Beifong had tried her best, but without her bending, trying to mentor him only frustrated her, and she had soon given up on it entirely.

Bolin shuddered. The thought of losing his bending - and the memory of how close he had come to having it taken - was always terrifying. He wondered if Mako felt the same, with the very close encounter he made with Amon the same day Korra had lost most of her bending, but he would probably never know. His brother hadn't been much of a talker these past few years.

He paged through more of the reports, finding new images in quite a few of them. That's when he started noticing the dates. "Hey, Mako," he muttered, elbowing his brother who was barely still on the chair with him. Mako sat up straighter and narrowed his eyes at the photo Bolin pointed at. 

"What about it?"

Bolin slammed the photo on the table, jumping out of the chair. Mako almost fell backward but managed to catch himself before he could. 

"Bro, _they all have different dates_! This one right here," he pointed at the one face-up on the table, "is from _six months_ ago. And the one you were looking at," he bent over the table and flipped aggressively through the pages until he found what he was looking for, "isn't even two weeks old." Bolin picked up the entire file and started reading through some of the written reports. "I mean, look closely at these personal accounts," he said, gesturing wildly with his free hand. "They're all different. It seems like some line up with each other, but others talk about a completely different method of attack. There was one ship blown up in a harbor, Mako! This wasn't a new thing; this has _been_ happening."

Mako shook his head, getting up and moving toward his brother. He leaned his head over Bolin's shoulder, looking at the dates on the photos in the file. "That's impossible. Lin just got back from the Union a few months ago. She would have told us if she heard about something that serious."

"How serious is this something I would have told you about?"

Only Bolin turned his head toward Lin Beifong as she made her way toward them. "Asami's sent us something. These are reports on Equalist ships that were attacked and destroyed. Most of the crew members were killed too, it seems," he explained.

Lin snatched the file out of Bolin's hand, interrupting Mako's deep concentration. Her eyes darted across each page as she took in the information. "These are photos of the salvaged ships, right?" she asked. 

Bolin nodded, a little unsettled that Lin Beifong, of all people, would be asking obvious questions.

She shoved the file back into the youngest brother's hands and sprinted to the front door. She threw it open and began yelling into the dark for Tenzin. He must have still been down on the beach, around the crackling bonfire with his kids, wife and siblings. After Lin had given screaming his name a few more tries, a grumbling and frustrated Tenzin stomped up the porch steps. "What do you _want_ , Lin?"

"Iroh's sister," Lin muttered. "Did we ever find out what happened to Iroh's sister?"

"Uncle Iroh didn't have a sister," He replied. Lin rolled her eyes. "Oh, right," Tenzin cleared his throat. "You mean General Iroh. Well, you watched the same news I did, Lin. General Iroh was the only royal family member who survived. Anyone else in the palace the day the Equalists attacked is dead."

Lin folded her arms across her chest. "Not _that_ sister, Tenzin. The half-sister that worked with my metal benders. She was living in. . ." her voice trailed off. _Zaofu_.

At the mention of metal bending, Bolin hurried over to join the conversation. Mako hesitated, then followed suit. 

Tenzin merely glanced at them both, one eyebrow raised. Then, "They were in Zaofu with the rest of your family."

Bolin furrowed his brows. "I thought General Iroh only had one sister?"

"Technically he does only have one. Firelord Zuko's son, Roku, was a bastard. The firelord had Roku a few years after Queen Mai's death, before he married Jin, Izumi's mother. Because his mom wasn't the queen, Roku didn't want to deal with the controversy, so that's the real reason he stepped aside and gave Izumi the crown instead. He moved here, to Ember Island, actually, and lived in his family's old house, which is just a short walk from here. He married and had a child of his own."

"Didn't Roku die young, though?" Mako asked, remembering reading about his death in the news at some point in his early life. 

"Yes, quite young. His child was only eight when he was killed, which would make them about twenty-one now. It was a very tragic series of events that led up to it, and it was for the royal family's sake that most of it was kept private. After that, Izumi took in her brother's child and raised them as one of her own, but quietly. Most people don't know about them per their own request. They never wanted to be in the spotlight and wanted to be able to live a quieter life, like their father. At least, that's what Firelord Zuko told me," Tenzin explained.

"I have a question," Bolin squeaked, his mind reeling with this new information, as well as a swirl of followup questions. "Who was Roku's mother?"

" _My_ mother," Lin grumbled with a roll of her eyes. "Roku was my brother."

Bolin's eyes widened. "Toph. . . and Zuko?"

"We all know my mother's reputation, and she's proud of it. She never wanted relationships, only kids. I don't see how it's so surprsing. I mean, why do you think all my sister's kids look like Sokka? It made sense for her to want us related to people she cared about."

"I never met Sokka," Bolin murmured.

Lin scoffed. "Whatever. Doesn't matter. What matters is I know my niece. They're tough as nails and always hold a grudge. If they're still alive, the attacks are probably organized by them. I can't think of any other metal benders that could still have their bending with my family. . . gone. And even if it's not them who did this, if there's any sort revolution, that's where we need to be. I'm tired of sitting on my ass all day. I was there, I saw what the Equalist Union looks like on the inside. We can't just run forever; they're going to catch up to us, and then what? We'll have done nothing. Korra is in no shape to fight, but if my niece is alive, and this really is their handiwork, then we have a shot."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Hey everyone! I just want to make a clarification; I do not ship Toph with anyone and personally headcanon her as an aromantic lesbian. I just thought the combinations made the most sense for the original character(s) I built! It also, in my opinion, made for a very interesting family dynamic, which I explore more later in the story. Thank you for reading!_


	3. The General's Return

Korra had already been awake for an hour by the time the Sun rose over the eastern horizon. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, so she turned her music up even louder to drown it out. As the path through the hills curved, the dirt turned to sand and running became significantly more difficult. It didn't phase Korra, though. She kept up her pace without issue, ignoring the sand seeping into her too-worn running shoes. 

As she neared the final stretch of beach that would take her back to her temporary home, something up in the hills caught her eye. She slowed to a stop, even taking out her earbuds and tucking them into her pocket.

She noticed her pants felt looser than they had the last time she wore them, which was probably the last time she bothered to exercise. And _that_ was almost seven weeks ago, if her timeline was correct.

Korra turned her attention back to the sight above her, away from the shore. Tucked away in the hills at the end of a narrow, winding path was a large manor, done in traditional Fire Nation style, like the other older buildings nearer the village. Given its isolated location and grander appearance, Korra assumed it was the famed Ember Island vacation home that once belonged to Zuko's family. Prince Roku, his eldest son, lived there after giving up his claim to the throne for Izumi. At least, that's what she had been taught in her old lessons back at the White Lotus compound. It felt like ages had passed since then. The world certainly wasn't the same.

And it was all her fault. 

Korra shook herself out of her own head and started up the path toward the old house. She wasn't quite ready to return to the newer one they had been staying in; Mako and Bolin were certainly awake by now and would start pestering her the moment she walked in. If not them, then she knew Tenzin's kids were probably out and about on the beach already, practicing their airbending barefoot in the sand. In either case, they'd praise her just for getting out of bed; compliments for doing the bare minimum would just make her feel worse. Right now, Korra wanted a bit more time to herself and her own thoughts before being repeatedly reminded that she had been sedentary and useless for the last five years.

The steps up to the front porch creaked under her weight. She pushed the door gently and it swung open, exposing a dusty and abandoned interior. There was furniture that was probably once considered luxurious, but it was all covered with moth-eaten blankets and layer upon layer of dust. No on had lived here since Roku's tragic death, then. 

Korra turned off the music player entirely, not intent on returning to her run any time soon. The device was an old, barely-working model that she had found around the house they were staying in, filled with music collected by whoever had once lived there. Mostly jazz. 

She explored the royal vacation home slowly, in no rush to get anywhere anytime soon. She turned away from the main living area, toward what was probably once a kitchen and dining room. 

There was no furniture in here.

Instead, the room looked as if it had endured a war of its own. There was a hole blown into the ceiling and a charred roofbeam dangled there. The floors had been burnt and even shredded in some places, splintered wood scattered all around. Korra stepped around it carefully as she scanned the room. She knew Zuko's eldest son had been murdered here, but she hadn't ever imagined it to be such a violent scene. Roku wasn't even a bender, so the attacker must have been. 

Distracted by the carnage, she didn't notice someone approach the house's back door. It creaked open and, startled, Korra spun around and blasted the intruder with a gust of air. He fell backward with a loud _thud_ , followed by painful groans. Then, in between coughs, she heard, "Was that Tenzin or Korra? It's me! Iroh!"

Her eyes widened. " _Iroh?_ " She rushed toward the door, careful not to trip over the damaged planks. She helped Iroh to his feet. He looked out of place in a t-shirt and jeans - Korra had only ever seen him in some sort of uniform. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know it was you."

"No no, I understand. I would have knocked but, well. . . I didn't think anybody would be here," he said, rubbing the back of his head, which must have hit the porch.

"Are you going to be all right? I am a. . ." her voice trailed off. _I am a healer, if you need it_. Korra _was_ a healer. Once, five years ago, when she had more than just airbending.

+

_Her bending was gone. That was the only thought in her head; the rest of the world was a blur. A painful, mocking blur. There were arms around her, now. Holding her. Mako. "We have to get out of here," he said, helping Korra to her feet._

_When she couldn't stand on her own, he scooped her into his arms. Mako made it into the hallway and ran as fast as he could, clinging desperately to Korra. He didn't turn back, and had to hope against all odds that Tenzin and his family had already made it out. His lungs were burning when he finally made it out of the arena, and his arms and legs wouldn't hold out much longer. Korra blinked her eyes open and caught a glimpse of what they were running from._

_There were no Equalists chasing them, no Amon on their heels. "Mako," she murmured. He slowed just before turning down an alley, and she pointed behind him. He looked over his shoulder._

_They weren't being chased because, while they had been distracted fighting Amon, the harbor had become a scene from hell. Commander Bumi's entire Second Division fleet was either in flames, sinking, or both. Equalist planes were still engaging with the survivors. Fire blasts and whips of water tackled some of the planes, but they were heavily outnumbered. It was a hopeless battle, and Mako and Korra were glad to look away. But the image would be burned into their minds for life._

_Mako took off at a run again, but he maintained a slower, more steady pace now that they weren't being actively pursued. Every part of his spirit was screaming at him to turn back, to try and help as many people as he could. But Korra needed him, and the world needed the Avatar. Find the others, get Korra and everyone else to safety. That was what he need to do._

_Korra squeezed her eyes shut again and hid her face in Mako's chest. She felt useless. She had failed Republic City. She had failed the world._

+

"Korra?"

She blinked a few times. "Yeah?"

"You just spaced out for a second. I said I think I'm going to be fine. Are _you_ okay?" Iroh asked, touching her shoulder kindly.

Korra nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine too, sorry. Just been a bit lost in my own head lately."

"I don't blame you. Well, hey, it's good to see you. I wasn't expecting to run into you here, of all places."

Korra cocked her head. "Why else are you here, then? I thought you were with the White Lotus way up north? A few of them know we're here, I figured that's why you showed up."

Iroh shook his head. "There's something important that was left behind in this house. The person who needs it can't get it themselves, so I offered to do it for them. I wanted the time away, anyway. Figured Ember Island would be a good place to have some peace and quiet for a while."

"Well, you won't really be getting much of that. Everybody's here."

The former general smiled. "It'll be good to see them all. It's been too long. I haven't stopped worrying about you guys since we split up in the Earth Colony a couple years ago. I heard that colony is a bender slum, now."

Despite the more grim subject, conversation with the Fire Nation prince still felt surprisingly easy to Korra. He wasn't trying to coddle or dote on her, he wasn't tiptoeing around her as if she were a fragile glass doll. Iroh talked to her the same way he had the first time they met, and she needed more of that. Mako and Bolin and even Asami kept treating her like she would break at any moment, and wouldn't have dared mention the conquering of another colony out of the fear it would be too much for Korra to handle. Even Lin was dull compared to the fiery woman she was a few years ago, leaving Korra with a bunch of people that she, albeit lovingly, referred to as softies. Maybe Iroh would finally give her the tough love she'd been missing. 

"Do you want to help me search this house? I'm looking for a royal hairpin," Iroh asked. Korra smiled, the first time she had done so in months. Finally, someone was actually asking for her help rather than offering to do everything for her. Finally, she was at least a little useful. As stupid and as mundane as searching for a hairpin seemed to be, it still gave Korra a spark of purpose. 

"Yeah, I'd love to. Is it some sort of special heirloom?" she asked as they stepped inside the demolished home. 

"It was the crown prince's hairpin, though it hasn't really been worn by many crown princes since the Hundred Year War. It once belonged to Prince Sozin, who then gave it to his best friend, Avatar Roku. After his death, his daughter, Rina, held onto it, and eventually, it fell into the care of the original Iroh himself. He then gave it to my grandfather." Iroh stumbled on the fallen beam but Korra managed to catch him before he fell. He muttered a quiet _thanks_ as he righted himself, then continued. "When Roku - my uncle, not the avatar - abdicated the throne for my mother, Firelord Zuko gave him the pin. Unfortunately during the attack that led to her brother's death, my mother wasn't able to recover it in time."

"So, someone sent you all this way for a family heirloom? Sorry, but that just seems like an odd priority to have in a time like this," Korra remarked as she followed Iroh up the groaning old stairs to the second level of the home.

Iroh chuckled. "I understand how it may seem silly. Trust me, it was low on the priority list. These sort of things are just very important to them." He chewed on his lip, then added, "Them as in my family, I mean. I don't exactly have much left in terms of that, so I do what I can for those I still have."

Korra furrowed her brows. "I thought you were the only surviving member of the royal family," she stated.

Iroh seemed to trip over himself, both literally and metaphorically. "Oh, yeah. Um, well. . ."

She stopped at the end of the hallway, just before it turned a corner, folding her arms across her chest. "Please don't try to lie to me right now, Iroh."

"I can't tell you," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. He leaned his back against the wall. "The only people that have ever known were immediate family. Right now, anonymity is the only thing keeping them alive. And believe me when I say that we _need_ them alive."

She touched his shoulder. "I understand. I wouldn't want you to put anyone in danger, especially after you've lost so much already."

" _Korra! Korra, are you here?_ " 

Korra turned her head to look down the hallway toward the stairs, contemplating whether she should respond. But the heavy feet stomping up the steps told her it wouldn't matter soon, anyway. "Yeah, I'm here," she finally said when Bolin's head peeked around the corner.

" _General Iroh?!_ " he exclaimed, as Mako appeared behind him.

"He's visiting," Korra explained. "I'm helping him look for something. How did you know I was here?"

"Jinora was up early and saw you leave the house from her window to go for a run around the island," Mako answered. "We took Naga, she led us right here. We didn't want to disturb you last night, but we found-"

"General Iroh has a bad ass half-sister - who's actually not really is half-sister but his cousin because they're Roku's only child but Roku died when they were young so Izumi raised them as her own and considered them Iroh's sister or half-sister - that has been taking out Equalist ships with a super secret team of metal benders which totally makes sense since they're also Toph's grandchild because Toph and Zuko-"

Mako had elbowed Bolin, interrupting his brother mid-ramble. "That's enough, Bolin."

Meanwhile, Iroh's face had fallen. Korra looked toward him wryly. "I'm guessing that was the family secret, then."

"Yes," he said weakly, rubbing his face in his hands. "That'd be the one."


	4. Adrift

The Equalist vessel sat serenely atop the waves, rolling gently with the tide.

It was anchored, a mass of iron and chain tethering them to the ocean floor. The rest of their particular strike group was close by, but invisible from this distance. They were also waiting quietly, ready to pounce.

The admiral was confident in the trap he had set here. Over the past several months, the metalbending terrorists had attacked their fleet hundreds of time, sinking over a dozen ships in the process. Those that weren't currently at the bottom of the ocean had been so severely damaged that they had to be salvaged and repurposed. They usually barely made it into the harbor, if at all, on their own. Even worse than losing almost a third of the fleet were the countless lives lost to the ruthless sea or at the hands of the benders themselves.

The last attack had been enough. It gave Admiral Arik the motivation he needed to finally present his plan to the governing council, and eventually Amon himself. And now, here he was. A wolf lying in wait for his prey.

Prey. That was his first mistake. Thinking of them as _prey_.

Prince Zuko, eldest and only child of Crown Prince Roku, was a vicious predator.

Their dark, long-haired head appeared above the waves, far out of range from the Equalist vessel. Zuko climbed effortlessly onto the breached submarine, an old Fire Nation emblem carved into its metal side. One of their metal benders offered his hand, but they didn't need it. They stood up straight, the water hissing off them in a cloud of steam as it evaporated from their heated skin. "I cut the line. They're free floating," was all Zuko said as they disappeared into the sub.

+

They waited. It felt like several hours went by, and perhaps it was true. Zuko, as always, was too focused on their task to bother with mundanities such as keeping track of time. They sat perched on top of the sub's conning tower, having grown restless within the confines of the vessel, and was now watching the Equalists patiently.

If Admiral Arik thought himself a wolf, then Zuko was a serpent, lurking in dark waters, observant and shrewd and carefully planning its next kill.

As far as they could tell from their carefully-maintained distance, the Equalist ship had yet to notice it was no longer anchored, drifting freely across the ocean. Zuko had planned it perfectly, with careful consideration of detail. The evening tide was pushing the vessel farther and farther away from the strike group that they knew was on standby. 

Zuko knocked their fist on the side of the hull, suddenly remembering something. They knew he would hear it; they could sense his footsteps nearby. "Beifong!" they called, knocking again. A few seconds later, their second-in-command opened the hatch and poked his head out. 

"Did you remember to _actually_ take out every ship's sonar this time?" they asked, remembering their near-miss the last time when Wei had missed one ship's sonar technology. They would have been caught had Zuko not realized the mistake as soon as they did. 

Wei smirked and nodded, giving Zuko a mocking salute. "Yes sir, every Equalist ship is dark right now. And unless they-"

Something slammed into the side of their submarine. Zuko slid off the conning tower, but they grabbed the periscope lens before they could be knocked off entirely. Immediately thinking of Wei, they called out his name. "I'm all right," he said from behind them. They snapped their head around to see Wei pulling himself to his feet as the submarine swayed beneath them.

Zuko's eyes were wide from shock but narrowed as they looked beyond Wei and out toward the menacing waters. They could feel something, and they locked eyes with their second-in-command for a moment. He could sense it, too. Something big, fast and _metal_.

It was time to move; they couldn't all sit here like turtle ducks, ready and ripe for any predator to come along and devour mercilessly. Wei was already opening the hatch, having always had some sort of sixth sense for what his cousin was thinking. "Hey," he said just as Zuko was about to climb back into the submarine. Wei grabbed their arm. "Another notch on the belt?"

Zuko punched his shoulder. "And another Equalist tanker at the bottom of the ocean."


	5. A Taste of Family History

"Who did you bring with you?" Lin Beifong shouted as soon as she recognized General Iroh in the doorway. She flattened her palms against the table, leaning over it as if she were back in a Republic City interrogation room.

Iroh fumbled. "Huh?"

"What are you talking about, Lin?" Korra asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Korra, you're up," Tenzin said cheerfully. 

"Everyone stop talking," Lin barked. "I asked the General a question. Which one of the bastards did you bring with you?"

"Wing. He's about a hundred yards offshore," Iroh answered.

Beifong straightened, folding her arms across her chest. "So it's true, then. Your sister?"

Iroh glanced around the room before answering, the contemplation clear on his features. It appeared to Korra that he decided to trust them with the answer. "With Wei in the middle of the ocean somewhere just west of what was once the Northern Water Tribe."

Lin's shoulders sagged and she sighed. Korra couldn't tell if it was relief or something else. "Thank the Spirits," Lin finally said. Iroh and the rest of them finally unfroze now that the former cop was seemingly done with her interrogation. As Mako, Bolin and Korra sat around the sofa, Iroh and the others remained standing around the living area. 

Korra's eyes darted between them all. They all stood - or sat - in silence, each of them exchanging uncertain glances with the others. "Well? What does any of this mean?" Korra finally snapped, frustrated by the awkward stagnancy that had settled over them.

Lin was the one who spoke up, but only after Iroh nodded in what seemed to be approval. Korra found the whole situation a bit odd. _Since when did Lin Beifong ask for anyone's approval?_ Korra thought to herself. But, then again, this was an odd time in general. It wasn't everyday that she found out the Fire Nation's royal family had a secret heir that no one - not even Amon - knew about.

Lin explained everything to Korra, starting at the very beginning. Bolin listened just as intently as he had the first time, and even Mako couldn't totally conceal his fascination with the general's secret sister, and the fact that this sister was also related to the infamous Beifong family. A firelord's heir _and_ grandchild of the world's first metal bender? _Talk about powerful genes,_ Mako thought to himself. 

When Lin was finished explaining, it took Korra a moment to wrap her head around it all. "So, Roku - the one who lived in that manor I found him in," she pointed to Iroh, "was actually your brother?"

Lin nodded. "I'm so sorry, Lin," Korra murmured. "It must have been hard to lose him."

The captain didn't say anything to that. But her gaze fell, and that told Korra enough. Lin still missed her brother, she would just never admit it out loud. "I was always a bit jealous of the bastard, since he got to know who his father was. But then I remember how much more complicated it made things for him. And what sort of. . . _end_ it led to," she finally said.

The rest of the room was eerily quiet. Bolin was especially unnerved, not used to the great Lin Beifong so vulnerable. Even Tenzin shifted uncomfortably on his feet. 

It was Mako who broke the silence. "He was killed for being Zuko's son?"

Lin shook her head, a few strands of gray hair falling into her face. She tucked them behind her ear, then folded her arms across her chest. "For having a potential heir to the Firelord's throne. They wanted his daughter."

Mako didn't want to press the issue further. No one did - they all had enough loss and countless stories surrounding said loss weighing on their minds. Besides, it was clear from her body language that Lin didn't want to say anything more about her brother.

"The point is, I have a sister. I'm not the only surviving member of my family," Iroh said, and everyone seemed to sigh in collective relief at the break in tension. "And they're out there being a lot more than just a thorn in Amon's side."

Bolin raised his hand tentatively. Korra raised an eyebrow. "Are you. . . raising your hand, Bolin?"

"What?" he squeaked. "I don't want to interrupt anyone."

"What is it?" Iroh pressed him.

"Why didn't your sister come find us? If they've been attacking Amon all this time, wouldn't it make sense to have Team Avatar with them?"

Iroh shook his head. "Only they can answer that for you. It's a bit complicated. _They_ are a bit complicated."

Lin snorted, then glared at Bolin from the corner of her eye. "Yeah, _complicated_. If you thought I was cold, wait till you meet my niece."

+

Later in the afternoon, Mako found Iroh on the beach by himself. Tenzin and Korra were off training somewhere, and Mako was glad for that. The air nomad seemed excited, too. She hadn't been particularly inclined to work on air bending in a long time, so this was a big step in the right direction. He had even already written Asami a note to tell her about it; she would be glad to hear that Korra found motivation again, though she wouldn't actually get the letter for a few more days.

It wasn't particularly warm, but the sun was out and shining bright. Iroh turned his head when he heard someone approach. Mako walked up beside him and gazed out at the calm, glistening waters. "So this sibling - sister? - of yours. . ." he began.

"Sister is fine," Iroh told him. "Just don't use the title 'princess.' They might stab you."

Mako couldn't help but chuckle, but Iroh's stare told him the general wasn't entirely joking. Mako cleared his throat. "Where do the rest of us go from here?"

Iroh shrugged. "It's up to you. Wing has been waiting to hear back from his brother, but he should be breaching and coming onshore any minute. From there, everyone can decide what they want to do."

"Does your sister even want our help? You said before that they had a reason for avoiding us."

"Not avoiding," Iroh corrected. "Waiting. Besides, none of us knew where you all were. And whether they want you there or not doesn't really matter, anyway. Amon is running out of new places to look - he's going to start sending ships back around. You guys shouldn't stay here much longer, and you'll be much safer with us. I'm just glad I happened to find you before it was too late." Iroh narrowed his eyes at something on the horizon. He nudged Mako. "You should go get your brother. And Lin, for that matter. They'll want to see this."

+

The sun had disappeared behind the clouds by the time Bolin and Lin made it onto the beach. The former was shivering, chilly from the lack of sunlight combined with the cool ocean breeze. Mako sighed, then handed his younger brother his own jacket. Bolin took it gratefully, wrapping himself in it. "Why did you bring us out here?" he asked.

Mako shrugged. "I don't know. General Iroh just said you'd want to see this."

Iroh walked up to them. "I would have said Korra too, but I didn't want to interrupt her training and piss off Tenzin. Is today really the first day she's been this active?"

Mako nodded solemnly. "Yeah. First time in a while."

Something disturbed the water not far off the shore. It was tall, skinny. Before any of them could even guess what it was, a massive whale breached the surface. 

Only it wasn't a _whale_ ; it was a machine. A huge, shimmering black submarine larger than most standard boats. A silver emblem was emblazoned on the side of the hull, but Mako couldn't tell what it was. Bolin's jaw dropped, his eyes wide as the vessel settled on the surface of the gentle waves. A figure climbed out of the conning tower, the silhouette hardly visible from this distance. 

Lin took several steps closer to the water. "So, this is what my niece has been working on."

"Worked on. Them and the twins perfected the design a few months ago," Iroh explained. Another shadow climbed out of the submarine, and the waves parted, revealing bare sand and shells and a few flopping fish. Without hesitating, Lin started walking into the parted sea, meeting the visitors halfway. Bolin followed her, and Mako did the same, partly out of curiosity, partly to make sure his brother wasn't about to get himself eaten by a sea serpent that could happen to be swimming nearby.

A water bender was holding the ocean at bay, allowing the crew to come on shore. Lin picked up her pace, then hugged one of the visitors. Mako noticed his green and silver armor, guessing he must be a metal bender. The most striking thing, though, was Lin actually _hugging_ someone.

Mako eyed the walls of water on either side of him warily, though awestruck. Fish swam by as if it were business as usual, hardly acknowledging the temporary disturbance in their environment.

Lin let go of the young metal bender. "Sorry," she muttered, "it's just been a while. How's your mother? Your siblings?"

"All fine," the stranger said with a grin. He looked over Lin's shoulder to see Mako, Bolin, and Iroh standing behind her. "Iroh!" he exclaimed, cupping his hands over his mouth so he could be heard over the water rushing up and away from them. "Another fleet collecting deep-sea rust!"

Iroh smiled, nodding. "Mako, Bolin," he said, gesturing to the newcomer, "that is Wing, Lin's nephew, my sister's cousin and left-hand man. His twin is her right," he added with a smile.

+

Korra came bursting into their Ember Island home to see everyone sitting around the kitchen table. Bolin stared like a wide-eyed kid with a crush as he watched someone Korra didn't recognize tell an elaborate tale. Lin seemed disinterested, one eyebrow raised as she glanced between the two of them. Mako was in the kitchen itself, cooking something. Tenzin appeared behind Korra's shoulder, Meelo, Ikki and Jinora slipping between their legs, Pema close behind them with young Rohan in her arms.

Another stranger appeared from the hall. Korra recognized him as Water Tribe almost instantly. "Hey," he greeted, strikingly casual. "I'm Tarruk." He offered Korra his hand and she shook it, hesitating more out of confusion and shock than actual wariness.

"Hey," she replied slowly. "What is going on here?"

The visitor turned his head toward Korra and his eyes widened. He immediately stood from his chair and hurried over to her. He, too, offered his hand and she took it while rambling like someone meeting their celebrity crush. "Avatar Korra, you have no idea how excited I am to finally meet you. I mean, I've heard about you and what a great bender you are, and I'm really excited to-"

"That's enough, Wing," Lin grumbled, resting a hand on her nephew's shoulder. "Korra, this is Wing. One of my sister's youngest. Please excuse him, he sometimes forgets how to be considerate."

Wing's face went pale as he realized what he said. "I'm sorry," he croaked. "Your bending. . . I-I wasn't even thinking."

"It's all right," Korra assured him, and she meant it. 

Ikki hugged Korra's leg. "She's still a great bender! You should have seen her air bending today!" she exclaimed, and Korra couldn't help but smile.

"So, Wing," the Avatar folded her arms across her chest. "Just how good of a bender do you think I am?"

+

Later that evening, when everyone else had long ago gone to sleep in their respective rooms, Lin was still awake, sipping a coffee in the kitchen. She stared out the window toward the eastern horizon.

Tenzin appeared from down the hall. He startled her, but she didn't show it. "You're up late," he said, opening the fridge behind her.

"No shit," she muttered, taking another sip. "Midnight snack?"

"Jinora is still up, too. She's had trouble sleeping these past few days. I think being in one place for so long has her nervous the Equalists will show up any day now."

"Her and me both."

Tenzin set out bread and jelly and began preparing his daughter's sandwich. "How are you feeling, Lin? Today had to be a lot for you. I know it was for everyone else."

Lin set down her mug, pressing her palms against the counter for support. "When we heard the Zaofu fell to the Equalists, I assumed the worst. It was the last safe place my family would have gone to," she said. "My mother, my sister, my nieces and nephews. . . I didn't even think to look for them after that. I put all my focus on you, your kids, Korra. But all this time, they've been out there. Alive. Fighting. While I've just sat on my ass."

"You've spent all of your energy protecting the Avatar, protecting my own family. That's not sitting on your ass, Lin."

Lin blinked away moisture in her eyes, refusing to let it turn to tears. "I suppose."

Tenzin paused his sandwich-making and placed a comforting hand on Lin's shoulder. "You spent the last four years assuming your entire family was dead. We all did - we all heard just how brutal and bloody Zaofu's takeover was. And in just one day, you found out that most of them are still alive. That would be emotionally overwhelming for anyone. You just have a tendency to turn all of your emotions into anger. Anger at yourself, especially."

Lin was quiet for a few minutes, staring at her own hands. "Do you think she'll be angry with me?"

"Your sister?"

Lin shook her head. "Zuko. I feel like I abandoned her a second time."

"You didn't even know they were still alive. Lin?"

Beifong finally looked at Tenzin. "What?"

"You can't still blame yourself for what Zuko's mother did. That's not on you. Or anyone else, for that matter."

Tenzin put away his sandwich ingredients and disappeared with Jinora's snack. When Lin was certain the air nomad wasn't going to return, a single tear fell down her cheek. "Easy enough for you to say, old man," she murmured to herself.


End file.
